Cooklang

Overview

Cooklang is an innovative recipe markup language designed to bridge the gap between human readability and computer processability for recipes. It allows users to write recipes in a simple, plain text format using specific syntax for ingredients, quantities, and steps. This approach ensures that recipes are easy to understand for anyone, while also being structured enough for software to parse and utilize.

The core value proposition of Cooklang lies in giving users complete ownership and control over their recipe data. By storing recipes in plain text files, users are not tied to any specific platform or service, ensuring their culinary creations are accessible and portable forever. The ecosystem built around Cooklang, including command-line tools, mobile applications, editor integrations, and a self-hostable web server, provides a comprehensive solution for managing, cooking from, and sharing recipes, all while leveraging the power of a standardized, open-source format.

Best For

Home cooks who want to organize and manage their recipes digitally.

Individuals seeking to create automatic shopping lists based on planned meals.

Users who want to scale recipes easily for different numbers of servings.

Developers or tech-savvy cooks who prefer plain text and version control for their recipes.

Families or small groups wanting to share and collaborate on a recipe collection.

Anyone looking to self-host their recipe collection for privacy and control.

Content creators who want to generate professional-looking cookbooks from their recipes.

People who want to import and convert recipes from various online sources into a unified format.

Key Features

Human-readable plain text recipe format

Automatic shopping list generation

Recipe scaling for different serving sizes

Integrated timers for cooking steps

Offline functionality

Open-source ecosystem with community contributions

Command-line tools for parsing and automation

Mobile and desktop applications for viewing and editing

Editor support (VS Code, Sublime, Vim, Emacs)

Self-hostable web server for recipe access

Git version control for recipe management

Menu planning and batch cooking support

Cookbook creation (PDF, LaTeX, printable cards)

Recipe dependencies for complex meals

Import recipes from various websites

Pros & Cons

Pros

Recipes are stored in plain text files, ensuring long-term ownership and portability.
Open-source nature fosters a rich ecosystem of tools and community contributions.
Supports advanced features like automatic scaling and Git version control for recipes.
Offline access to recipes and tools enhances reliability and privacy.
Comprehensive ecosystem with CLI, mobile apps, web server, and editor integrations.
Facilitates meal planning, shopping list generation, and cookbook creation.
No account required, promoting user privacy and data ownership.
Ability to import recipes from hundreds of websites simplifies migration.

Cons

Requires some technical comfort with plain text files and potentially command-line tools for full utilization.
Learning the specific Cooklang syntax is necessary to write new recipes effectively.
Mobile and desktop apps are part of the ecosystem but may not be officially developed by the core Cooklang team, leading to varying quality.
Self-hosting the web server or using advanced features like Git version control might be complex for non-technical users.
Reliance on community-driven tools means support and feature development can be inconsistent.
Initial setup for editor support or CLI tools might involve manual configuration.

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